Beer: Ratings & Reviews

Reviews by BucBasil:

Bought at the Jing An FreshMart in Shanghai, China. Poured from the 330mL bottle into a pint glass.

A: Dark dark orange/amber color with a fluffy 2 finger thick off white head that lasts for a while and leaves some nice lacing.

S: Lots of balance. Hops come out first - floral and somewhat piney. Then lots and lots of malt. Way more malt than I expected in an IPA aroma. It actually drowns out the hops. Bready, some caramel or toffee. More like a bitter or some other style.

T: Very balanced, with a good amount of floral and spicy hops with lots of bread and sweet malt in there. I think this is more along the lines of an English style IPA, which makes sense given that it's from New Zealand.

F: Good medium body allows the balance and flavor to really come out.

Overall, pretty good. I think with IPAs we have come to expect hop bombs but this is very subdued and more English in character, with lots of balance and a good amount of bready malt. Very drinkable. Surprisingly tasty. I'd pick it up again.

More User Reviews:

Poured from 11.2oz bottle into tulip. Purchased at Calandro's in Baton Rouge, LA, for abut $3 while on business. I was excited to try this brew as it has lots of Nelson hops (per the bottle).
Pours a orange hue golden color with no head, but some nice sticky lacing and a lot of carbonation. Not much aroma...kind of "macro" smelling corn, but some white grape hop aroma persists. Clean crisp almost watery malt flavor...some mild grapey hop notes, but malts dominate; almost adjunct like. Hops are mild, but pleasant...its just not anywhere near an IPA. I tried to find some info on IBU with no luck; id guess somehwere around 40.
Its an ok brew, but a sub-par IPA.

Drunk in Nelson, bought in bottle from brewery. Compared to US craft beers more like current pale ales than an IPA. Brewed with Pacific Gem, Cascade, Motueka and Goldings. I get that characteristic New Zealand hope characteristics coming through. Would drink again.